Bumpy Rides
In the October issue of the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, there is an article on the history of the National Hurricane Research Project (http://ams.allenpress.com/archive/1520-0477/88/10/pdf/i1520-0477-88-10-1566.pdf). This article lists some of the rough rides that these hurricane hunters have endured.HURRICANE GLADYS: 16 OCTOBER 1968,
“40 CHARLIE” As this storm exited the western
tip of Cuba, the civilian weather bureau aircraft were
tasked by NHC because the reconnaissance pattern fell
within Cuban air control. After a run along a rainband to
measure cloud drops, they made a final eye fix. Relaxing
after the difficult part of the flight, several of the crew
unstrapped their seat belts. The plane unexpectedly
encountered severe turbulence, and several were injured.
One technician was rushed to the hospital on return to
Miami, but recovered enough to return to duty.
HURRICANE EDITH: 9 SEPTEMBER
1971, “39 CHARLIE” Edith was
approaching the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua
and intensifying on this day. The early eye penetrations
went well, but on the last one the eye had shrunk to
seven miles in diameter. The turbulence was so severe
that the pilots temporarily lost control of the aircraft. By
the time they regained control, they had lost 1000 feet
(300 m) of altitude.
HURRICANE GLADYS: 30 SEPTEMBER
1975, “39 CHARLIE” Gladys, moving east
of the Bahamas, had just starting to deepen
when NOAA flew a two-plane mission into the storm.
The DC-6 had lost its Omega navigation system and so
attempted an eye penetration at low levels to use the
sea surface to gauge the winds. The eye had contracted
down to just a few miles in diameter and the eyewall
consisted mainly of one supercell when the plane hit a
downdraft and strong tail wind and came within a few
knots of airspeed from stalling out. An encounter with
a strong updraft and the pilot pointing the nose down
despite the 50-foot altitude kept the plane from free fall.
The technician who had been injured on the Gladys 1968
flight had the luck to be on this Gladys flight as well.
HURRICANE ALLEN: 6 AUGUST
1980, N42RF “KERMIT” As the
category-4 hurricane passed between Jamaica
and Cuba, the NOAA P-3s began their second day of
flights into Allen. “Kermit” approached the eye from the
south, and penetrated without any problem. But, the
radar showed cells in the north eyewall with extremely
high return, as did the rainbands beyond. The lengthy
shaking they encountered knocked loose the life raft
and convinced one scientist that hurricane research was
not his future.
HURRICANE EMILY: 22 SEPTEMBER
1987, N42RF “KERMIT” AND N43RF
“MISS PIGGY” Rapidly deepening before
encountering Hispañola, Emily reached its peak strength
as both P-3 aircraft encountered very strong updrafts
and downdrafts going through the eyewall. Both the
turbulence and the continual turning in order to make
the 27 combined eye penetrations on this day, made these
memorable flights.
HURRICANE HUGO: 15 SEPTEMBER
1989, N42RF “KERMIT” A classic Cape
Verde hurricane, Hugo had just moved within
operational range of the Leeward Islands by the 15th.
Having had few problems with Gabrielle in the same area
less than two weeks before, the P-3 went in at 1500 feet.
Encountering severe turbulence due to a mesocyclone in
the eyewall, a mechanical failure caused one of the engines
to shut down. Once again, a life raft broke loose, this time
denting the overhead handrail. The plane had
to orbit in the eye, burning fuel, while climbing to a safe
altitude. N43RF and a U.S. Air Force plane then escorted
the injured “Kermit” back to Barbados. N42RF remained
out of commission for the rest of the season.
HURRICANE ISABEL: 14 SEPTEMBER
2003, N43RF “MISS PIGGY” During a
CBLAST experiment on this day, the P-3 flew
to within 200 feet (50 m) of the surface in hurricane
force winds, through a boundary layer full of sea spray.
This led to a salt buildup inside the turboprop engines,
causing the no. 3 engine to shoot out a 30 foot flame as
its compressor failed. The crew flew back to St. Croix,
uncertain if the other engines would not do the same.
After this flight, AOC enacted new protocols for lowlevel
flights.
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